Latest news with #TheRiversTrust
Sky News
6 days ago
- Climate
- Sky News
Why aquatic life is facing a double whammy as sewage overflows spill into rivers amid heavy rain
It doesn't take much for Britain's sewerage system to be overwhelmed. Heavy rain had been forecast for the southeast of England on Saturday morning, with an amber weather warning issued. In fact, the downpours weren't as intense as feared - and they were brief. Yet, sewage overflows across the region quickly began discharging into rivers. Data from The Rivers Trust shows that at midday on Saturday there were 75 outlets actively pouring effluent into rivers in the southeast. And another 164 had been discharging in the previous 48 hours. It's been worse - far worse - in the past. But the sewage was being discharged into rivers heavily impacted by weeks of hot, dry weather. More weather warnings in place While the amber warning may have expired, there is more wet weather on the way over the coming days. A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms remains in place for most of England, apart from the southwest, until 9pm on Saturday. A yellow warning for rain affecting most of the southwest of England and South Wales is in place until 9pm on Sunday, with another in place for most of mainland Scotland until 12pm on Sunday. The majority of England and Scotland are also set to be impacted by thunderstorms on Monday, with a yellow warning in place from 11am until 9pm. The Met Office said a few places may experience flooding and disruption. Not only was the water temperature higher than normal, reducing oxygen levels and encouraging blooms of algae, but river levels were low, so there was less water to dilute the sewage. It's a double whammy for aquatic life. It reflects years of underinvestment in the infrastructure. The crumbling sewerage system hasn't kept pace with the growth in the population. The priority of the water regulator Ofwat has been to keep customer bills low, at the expense of the environment. And we are now paying the price. The Water Commission's report next week is expected to recommend much tighter regulation in future, and Ofwat is likely to be abolished.
The Herald Scotland
22-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Cornwall wild swimming spots named among best in the UK
St Michael's Mount and Polurrian Beach were featured in a list from The Telegraph, alongside 18 others. The list was compiled based on comments from wild swimmers across the UK and a water safety website. Discussing the article, the publication wrote: "We outdoor swimmers are all devotees of our favourite spots. We worship local patches of clean water, especially during a heat wave. "But where can you swim safely these days? Only 15 per cent of England's river stretches have good ecological health, according to The Rivers Trust. "But the good news is there are still places we can go in the UK for a wild dip that are safe, open to the public and far enough away from sewage works and fisheries." The full list of the UK's best wild swimming spots can be found on The Telegraph website here. Why two Cornwall places are among the UK's best wild swimming spots St Michael's Mount St Michael's Mount is like "something from a medieval fantasy" according to The Telegraph, but it's not the site's inherent beauty that earns it points here. They add: "There are many different swims to enjoy in Mount's Bay. You can even thread your way over the causeway when it's submerged – just watch out for boats. The waters around St Michael's Mount are said to be great for wild swimming (Image: Julie Ann Photography/Camera Club) "Alternatively, some swimmers circumnavigate St Michael's Mount, hugging the shore to keep their exits close. "You can take in the sub-tropical gardens from the eastern side and marvel at the Caribbean blue-green of the water on a sunny day." Polurrian Beach Pollurrian Beach is just one part of the Lizard Peninsula where you'll be spoilt for choice on where to swim. The Telegraph says: "On summer days, you can tuck yourself into the bay to escape the Atlantic bluster. Just know the outgoing tide is strong near the headlands, so be careful if you decide to head farther out. "Explorers can climb the headland that separates the beach from Mullion Cove for the best view. Water safety tips "At low tide, more of the golden sands emerge, flanked by tall cliffs. Rugged coastal paths connect this spot to Poldhu Cove, Gunwalloe Beach and Kynance Cove." Overall, the beach has been well-received by visitors, earning a 4.7/5 score from 193 ratings on Google Reviews. Additionally, the beach can be accessed from the Polurrian on the Beach hotel, which has earned a 4.3/5 score on Tripadvisor from 1,730 reviews. Recommended reading: Wild swimming safety tips Before you venture out to take part in a touch of wild/open water swimming, there are some safety tips from the RNLI you should consider: Make sure you're prepared for your wild/open water swim - check the weather and tides, choose your spot, go with a buddy, and have the right equipment. If in doubt, don't go out - no matter how much preparation you do, or how experienced you are, if a swim doesn't feel right there is no shame in getting out of the water straight away, or not entering. Make sure you acclimatise to avoid cold water shock. Be seen. Wear a bright coloured swim hat and take a tow float. Stay within your depths. Float to live. If you get caught in an emergency situation while out wild swimming, call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rivers Trust responds to open water swim company's closure
Henley Swim said it was forced to close due to "relentless publicity" over water quality in the River Thames causing a drop in numbers entering its swims (Image: Archant) The chief executive of a conservation charity has responded to the closure of an open water swimming events firm. Henley Swim had been running events on the River Thames for more than 20 years before it was forced to close down at the start of the month after "relentless publicity" over water quality in the river led to a drop in numbers entering its swims. Responding to the news, Mark Lloyd, chief executive of The Rivers Trust, said: "We are incredibly sorry to hear the news that Henley Swim has stopped trading and that their events this year will not go ahead. "Since we were the official charity partner for Henley Swim Festival in 2022, The Rivers Trust has attended the event every year and we were due to attend again in July 2025. ADVERTISEMENT "We have also worked year-round with their team to advocate for increased environmental awareness and safe river swimming." Mr Lloyd said the closure of Henley Swim shows there is "much more to do both to address river pollution and to help the public make informed decisions about swimming". He added: "Despite the immense challenges our rivers are facing, The Rivers Trust firmly believes that safe river swimming is possible in the UK, but swimmers must be aware of the risks and take necessary precautions when doing so. "We will continue to fight for our vision of wild, healthy, natural rivers that can be enjoyed by swimmers and river users alike."
RTÉ News
25-04-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
The Big River Watch Survey has started on your local freshwater body
Joanna Braniff, all-Ireland advocacy and communications manager of The Rivers Trust calls on the public to take part in the Big River Watch Survey
RTÉ News
24-04-2025
- Science
- RTÉ News
Volunteers wanted for annual survey of Irish rivers
The Rivers Trust is urging people from all over the island of Ireland to take part in their annual river survey. The Big River Watch Survey takes place from Friday 25 April to Thursday 1 May. Over that week, the trust is asking people to observe a local river, lough of stream and record their findings on their free app. The app will prompt the user to answer questions about what they can see and observe. No special knowledge is required. Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Joanna Braniff, all-Ireland advocacy and communications manager of The Rivers Trust, said that the survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. "There are loads of data gaps in river and waterbody knowledge throughout Ireland," Ms Braniff said. "We want to get a broader picture of our rivers," she added. Unlike in Britain, where there is live monitoring on many freshwater bodies, this is not the case in Ireland. The biodiversity crisis, as well as increased blue-green algae blooms and pollution incidents, means that the need for data on freshwater bodies is increasing, Ms Braniff has said. "There is a gap in the story right now and we're asking the public to step-up," Ms Braniff said. People can complete as many surveys as they like in the app in as many places along the same freshwater body or a different body. "You never step in the same river twice," Ms Braniff said. "A small pollution incident could only be visible for 15 minutes, so there is no upper limit on how many times even the one area could be surveyed." This is the third year the Big River Watch Survey is running in Ireland. The Rivers Trust is hoping for 250 data points to come from Ireland in this year's survey. Last year, there were around 200 from the island of Ireland and around 3,000 from Britain. The Big River Watch app can be downloaded on both Android and iOS. The app itself is always live so people can submit data to it year-round and all the data gathered from the survey is publicly available for anyone to use.
